MEDPA to be rolled out in all 753 subnational bodies

September 18, 2018

The Micro Enterprise Development Programme for Poverty Alleviation Programme (MEDPA), a government flagship programme, will be rolled out in all 753 subnational bodies, as part of efforts to reduce poverty and generate employment. Following the closure of Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDEP) on July 2018, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) have now completed the process of replicating and internalizing MEDEP’s model.

In order to respond to the need for the smooth transition of MEDPA under this changed context, the key program partners of MEDEP—MoICS, the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)—have all agreed to implement a new MEDPA-Technical Assistance programme for two years with the mandate to support institutionalization of the micro-enterprise development model promoted by MEDEP.

Under the agreement, the Government of Nepal will contribute 170,000 USD, DFAT USD 440,100 and UNDP USD 639,900 respectively. The project document was signed between Joint Secretary of MoICS Dinesh Bhattarai, and Country Director a.i of UNDP Nepal Ayshanie Labe, followed by the signing of cost-sharing agreements between the Head of Development Cooperation of Australian Embassay, Ainsley Hemming and the Ministry, as well as between UNDP and the Ministry.

At the signing ceremony, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav directed MEDPA to continue the campaign to foster the development of skills and employment opportunities around the country. Ambassador Budd, meanwhile, expressed his confidence that technical assistance programme will help local government units to internalize the MED model in the new federal set up. In the same vein, Country Director, a.i Labe highlighted the opportunities that this project has created to innovate and create livelihood opportunities for women, youth and vulnerable communities in Nepal, and thereby contributing the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

MEDEP was a flagship programme of UNDP Nepal and the Government of Nepal launched in 1998 to support poverty alleviation among poor household groups through the promotion of micro-enterprise. In its lifetime, the programme has created over 130,000 micro-entrepreneurs and generated over 342,000 direct and indirect jobs.